Year 9: Solve linear equations

This cheat sheet will help you solve linear equations. A linear equation is an equation where the highest power of the variable is 1.

Key Concepts

• What is a linear equation? An equation where the variable (usually 'x') is only raised to the power of 1.
• Goal: To isolate the variable on one side of the equation.

Steps to Solve Linear Equations

1. Simplify both sides: Remove any brackets, parentheses, or combine like terms on each side of the equation.
2. Isolate the variable term: Add or subtract terms from both sides to get the variable term by itself.
3. Solve for the variable: Divide or multiply both sides of the equation by the same number (the coefficient of the variable) to isolate the variable. Remember to do the same operation to both sides to maintain the equality.

Example

Solve: 2x + 5 = 11

1. 2x + 5 = 11
2. 2x = 11 - 5
3. 2x = 6
4. x = 6 / 2
5. x = 3

Important Reminders

• Always perform the same operation on both sides of the equation.
• Double-check your answer by substituting it back into the original equation.